rpg morsels for the picking

[map] Mountain Shrine

The red clad figure ran up the frozen mountain slope, and the black sorcerer followed.

By chance, the woman came upon a wide flight of stairs carved into the mountain. She dashed up the steps and fled inside, sprinting up stairs and along corridors until she found herself in a large room with no other exits. The room was barren, except for the huge sarcophagus resting, almost ominously, in the center of the unlit chamber.

The woman was out of breath, but could still hear the approach of her pursurer. Skittering sounds and the faint smell of rot. The black sorcerer must have summoned that foul insect swarm to serve as vanguard. So, completely out of options, she approached the sarcophagus, focused her strength and heaved open the lid. For a moment, she thought she heard a moan, but it might have been the ancient hinges protesting the sudden movement. Without hesitating, she climbed inside and let the lid drop.

The black sorcerer swaggered into the room, just behind his swarm of critters. This was his moment of triumph. The sweet smell of panic lingered in this room, and he knew he had cornered his prey. A five year long chase was over, and he was victorious.

Gradually, though, he became aware that he was not alone in the room. Another presence was sifting up from the sarcophagus, displacing his pet insects, taking shape, coalesing into a densly framed humanoid. There was clearly power there, and the black sorcerer took two steps backward, considering a momentary retreat. Then the shape stretched out a hand, and somehow tugged at his mind, pulling him in.

Struggling only briefly, the black sorcerer felt his mind get yanked in and absorbed by this strange humanoid. Soon, his whole consiousness was jammed into an extremely crowded place. So many minds! He was trapped in a brain zoo, a chaotic collection of knowledge, agendas, desires and intetions. His pray, the woman he had hunted for years was here too, somewhere, also trapped. Was this hell?

Freed by being fed, the Grewler is again prawling the lands. Once a wise monk, thirsty for knowledge and insight. Then, corrupted by an unholy opportunity to absorb other minds, he has become a monster hunting for ever more minds to grab. But after being set free, why has it taken to wearing red?